Fleischer



July 15, 1952 c. FLEISCHER 2,603,332

COIN-OPERATED VENDING COMPARTMENT Filed March 10, 1948 3 Sheets-Sheet 1Fig. 3

IN V EN TOR.

BY (Zharlea fgpischer I ha cur-q,

July 15, 1952 c. FLEISCHER 2,603,332

COIN-OPERATED VENDING COMPARTMENT Filed March 10, 1948 3 Sheets-Sheet 21a 4 l3 r. as J): l2 11- h F'ic.6

U INVENTOR.

Charles Fleischer y 1952 c. FLEISCHER COIN-OPERATED VENDING COMPARTMENTa Sheets-Sheei 3 Filed March 10, 1948 INVENTOR. BY Charles F'ltiQGbQlmxsew Patented July 15, 1952 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFIC 2,603,332 COIN-PERATED VENDIN G COMPARTMEN T Charles Fleischer, Miami, Fla.Application March 10, 1948, Serial No. 13,967

4 Claims. 1

The invention relates to a coin-operated vending compartment.

The vending compartment to which the invention may be applied inparticular is of the type which is arrangeable in groups of superposedand laterally related individual compartments for the dispensing ofmerchandise deposited therein, the compartments being accessible fromthe rear thereof for replenishment thereof and having individual frontdoors, normally closed, but openable upon the introduction intocoin-receiving mechanisms of appropriate coinage.

It is one of the objects of the invention to provide a vendingcompartment which will be simple in construction and compact inassembly.

It is another object of the invention to provide a vending compartmentstructure such that the merchandise therein may be within the view ofthe attendant stationed therebehind.

A further object is to provide a compartment of the character and forthe purposes described wherein the door may be readily and positivelyactuated upon the insertion of the coin into the slot provided therefor.

Still another object is to provide a vending compartment which may bereadily and conveniently replenished with merchandise upon the removalof the contents thereof.

Another object is to provide a vending compartment having visual signalmeans to indicate when the door thereto is open and barrier meansinterposed in the rear accessway of the compartment to prevent thedeposit of merchandise therein while the door is in open position.

Other advantages of the invention will become apparent from thedescription thereof hereinafter set forth.

According to the invention, the vending compartment has a stationarymerchandise-supporting platform, a pair of side walls and a top, and hasan open back to permit ready access thereto. The compartment is providedwith a normally closed front door and means urging the door into openposition, latching means normally restraining the door into closedposition, and coin-actuated means operatively associated with thelatching means whereby to release and permit the door to swing inpivotable movement to open position. The vending compartment is adaptedfor arrangement in structural framing, in superposed and laterallyspaced relation with a plurality of other like compartments to form acommon vending apparatus for the accomodation of plural merchandiseitems individually encased.

The invention is exemplified in a vending com partment embodied in theaccompanying drawings in which the views are as follows, like referencenumerals designating identical parts in the several views:

Fig. l, a front elevation of an arrangement of a plurality of thevending compartments in common grouping;

Fig. 2, a sectional elevation, in part, of the barrier means and Fig. 3,a rear elevation, in part, ofthe view shown in Fig. 2;

Fig. 4, a section taken on line 4-4, of Fig. 5;

Fig. 5, a partial front elevation of the vending compartment;

Fig. 6, a section taken on line.B6, of Fig. 4;

Fig. 7, a section taken on line 1--'l of Fig. 8;

Figs. 8, 9 and 10, a side elevation of the coinactuated door releasingmechanism.

The vending compartment defines an openback chamber having a stationaryplatform I for the support of the merchandise to be vended, a top 2, anda pair of opposed side walls 3.

The compartment is normally closed by a frontal door, Figs. 4 and 5,having a transparent panel 4 supported within a marginal frame 5. Theframe 5 is pivoted at the top thereof by a hinge 6 to the frontalframing structure I, in which a plurality of the vending compartmentsare arrangeable to form a group for the accommodation of a plurality ofindividual merchandise items.

The hinge B has a suitable spring 8 which is designed to urge the doorin pivotal movement toward its open position as shown in dash lines,Fig. 4.

The door is held in its normally closed position, against the influenceof the spring 8, by a latching mechanism comprising an inclined closerrod 9, pintled at its upper end in a bracket i0, secured against theinner face of the door frame 5.

At its lower end, the closer rod 9 is pivoted to the outer end of acrank l I, as by a pivot pin l2. The crank I I is pivoted at its otherend to a side wall 3, as by a pivot pin 13, about which the crank isrotatable by an upwardly extending trigger M formed thereon.

When the trigger i4 is oscillated between its full line position anddash line position, Fig. 4,

the crank II is pivotable therewith. With the door in closed position,the closer rod 9 has its pivot pin 12 past dead center in relation tothe pivot pin [3, and the closer rod cannot, in consequence, be moved inresponse to the influence of the springv 8 tending to pivot the doortoward its open position. When the trigger I4 is pivoted from its fullline position sufficiently to carry the pivot pin l2 away from its deadcenter relationship with the pivot pin 13, it will be seen that thecloser rod 9 becomes operable to shift in response to the force exertedby the spring 8 and permits the door to swing outwardly toward its openposition.

The trigger I4 is movable from its normal full line position by acoin-actuated pusher mechanism arranged on an upright plate 15paralleling the outer'face of the side wall 3 and spaced therefrom byfiller members It, to provide a coin receiving passage H.

The pusher mechanism'consists of a horizontally disposed pusher bar ishaving a central, longitudinal slot [9 adapted for engagement by a pairof horizontally spaced supporting screws 20 carried by the plate I5,whereby the pusher bar may move in reciprocal relation to the plateAdjacent the rear end thereof, the pusher bar carries an inwardlyprojecting .pin 2!, extending through suitable slots, (not shown) formedin the adjacent plate l and sidewall :3, so as to normally engage thetrigger 14, when advanced thereagainst.

When the pusher bar is movedrearwardly, the pin 2| is brought intoengagement with the trigger whereby to pivot the crank so as todisengage the pivot pins l2 and I3 from their past dead centerrelationship, thereby releasing the closer rod 19 to permit theoutwardpivotal movement of the door to "its open position, as will beunderstood.

Adjacent the front end thereof, the :pusherbar I has an inwardlyprojectingpin '22, extending into the coin passageway H, through a slot(not shown) formed in the plate 15. Thepin 22 is adapted to be engagedby a coin inserted into the passageway through a slot Ila formed in thefrontal framing structure (Fig.5), whereby the pusher bar 1.8 .ismoveable rearwarclly upon the application thereto of the thrust impartedto the coin during the insertion thereof into the slot Ila.

The rearward movement of the pusher .bar is controlled by a pair of jaws.23 (Figs. 7 to 1'0), terminating atthe frontends thereof in:inwardlydirected feeler points '24, forming the upperiand lower limits definingthe slot 11a. The "jawsare extended rearwardly to form levers 25,fulcrumed to the plate 'l5,;as by fulcrum pins 26, and .terminating ininwardly projecting stop members '21. The pusher bar has a pairofshoulders 28 formed adjacent the rear end thereof whichare adapted forengagement by the stop members 21 to limit the'rearward movement ofthepu'sh'er bar.

Adjacent the forward end thereof the jaws have a pair of inwardlyprojecting teeth 29, engageable with a corresponding pair of notches 39,formed in the head portion of the pusher bar, and contractible thereonunder the influence of a spring 3| having its ends fastened to the jaws.Thus, the pusher bar 18 is inoperative to move rearwardly until the jawshave been expanded by a coin of pre-determined diameter whereby todisengage the teeth 29 from the notches 30. It will be seen that whenthejaws are expanded, the stop members 21 converge upon the rear endportion of the pusher bar and engage the shoulders 28.

The longitudinal spacing of the pins 2| and 22, the stopmembersfl .andnotches formed by to the'feeler points 24, such that when the coin isintroduced into the slot, the jaws are expanded as illustrated in Fig.9, sufficiently to permit the pusher bar to begin its rearward movement.When the coin has passed its largest diameter through the feeler points24 the jaws contract over the diminishing periphery of the coin, asillustrated in Fig. 10, thereby disengaging the stop members 21 andpermitting the pusher bar to continue its rearward movement to trip thetrigger I4. Thus, the pusher mechanism is inoperative unless the jawscan contract over the diminishing periphery of the entering coin,thereby preventing the operation of the mechanism by an instrument, suchas a knife blade of the same width as the coin inserted into the slot toeffect the opening of the compartment door.

After the coin has passed the jaws and effected the completion of therearward movement of the pusher bar, it may drop through the space H,into a coin chute (not shown) with which the passageway may be adaptedto communicate.

The'door is returned to its closed position by the manipulation of thetrigger [4 to its .full line position, in a manner which will beunderstood from the foregoing description. The pusher bar is providedwith a beveled head 32, whereby to spread the teeth 29 to permit their're-engagement with the notches 30.

In the'embodiment of the invention illustrated in Figs. 2 and 3, thevending compartment is provided with a barrier mechanism operative toobstruct the rear opening of the compartment and functioning as avisualsignal to inform the attendant when the door is in open position,so as to prevent the inadvertent replenishment of the compartment whilethe door thereof is not secured.

The barrier consists of an obstructive bar 33, disposed laterally of thecompartment near the rear access opening thereto, :and supported by asuitable arm 34, which may be formed by a convenient extension of thelatching mechanism hereinbefore described as, for example, by an upwardextension of the trigger 14 (Figs. 2 and 3), adapted for pivotalmovement therewith.

When the trigger I4 is oscillated in the door opening operationhereinbefore described, the barrier 33 is carried therebyto'substantially the position shown in dash lines whereby to obstructthe rearportion-of the compartment to prevent the attendants inadvertentreplenishment of the compartment while the door thereto is in openposition. The barrier functions, at the same time, as va'visual signalmeans whereby to inform the attendant that the merchandise from thecompartment has been withdrawn. The barrier has utility, also, incooperation with the trigger |4 and supportingarm 34 extended therefrom,as

:ahandlemeans for the manipulation of the door closing assembly.

Theiinvention thus provides a vending apparaitLIS which is simple inconstruction and compact inassembly, affording a ready and convenientvending device for confections and the like in public '"places such astheater lobbies and similar locations. Patrons are enabled to purchasemerchandise upon the deposit of a coin and attendants are enabled toreadily and conveniently replenish the vending compartments without theharassment and fatigue resulting from waiting upon a clamoring crowd andmaking change. The attendant is afforded a substantially clear view forthe observation of the compartment inthe shoulders .28,:aremre-determined inrelation terior and .readyaccess thereto Ifor Jthereplenishment thereof, without the necessity of operating rotative drumsor the like. He may be instantly informed of the withdrawal ofmerchandise from the compartments and is impeded in the replenishmentthereof during the open condition of the front discharge opening.

Of course, the invention is susceptible of a variety of modificationsand changes in design, proportions and arrangement, without departingfrom the scope of the appended claims.

Having thus described the invention, what I claim as new and desire tosecure by Letters Patent is:

1. A coin-operated vending compartment comprising, in combination, amerchandise supporting platform having a pair of side walls and a topthereover defining a. chamber having an open back afiording rear accessthereto for the replenishment thereof, a swingable door normally closingsaid chamber at the front thereof, means biasing said door to openposition, latching means normally locking said door against said biasingmeans, a rockable handle operatively connected to said latching meansfor the actuation thereof, coin-impelled means operable to rock saidhandle for the release of said latching means to open said door andproject said handle rearwardly of said chamber to signal said dooropening, said handle being manually retractible for the actuation ofsaid latching means to re-lock said door.

2. The invention as defined in claim 1 and: said handle including abarrier member adapted, when in projected position, to obstruct the rearaccess to saidchamber and prevent the inadvertent replenishment thereof.

3. In a coin-operated vending compartment defining a chamber having anopen back afi'ording rear access thereto for the replenishment thereof,a normally closed swingable front door biased toward open position, andlatching means normally restraining said door against said biasingmeans, the combination of a rockable handle to actuate said latchingmeans, coin-impelled means to rock said handle for the release of saidlatching means to open said door and project said handle rearwardly ofsaid chamber to signal said door opening, said handle being manuallyretractible for the actuation of said latching means to re-lock saiddoor.

4. The invention as defined in claim 3 and: said handle including abarrier member adapted, when in projected position, to obstruct the rearaccess to said chamber and prevent the inadvertent replenishmentthereof.

CHARLES FLEISCHER.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file ofthis patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS

